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West Notes: Lehner, Burakovsky, Iginla

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One name oft forgotten in the Vegas Golden Knights goalie carousel this season is Robin Lehner, who spent the entire 2022-23 campaign on long-term injured reserve. After missing the tail end of the 2021-22 campaign with a significant shoulder injury, it was actually off-season hip surgery that kept Lehner out for the year.

The Swedish netminder remains one of the best around when healthy, but Golden Knights general manager Kelly McCrimmon today didn’t have any update on Lehner’s status moving forward. McCrimmon noted Lehner is still undergoing rehab on both of his hips, but didn’t have a recent update on his progress. Lehner’s absence hasn’t hindered the Golden Knights much this season, and he could be a trade candidate if he does get healthy to clear some cap space. The 2019 Vezina Trophy nominee is locked in at a $5MM cap hit through 2025, making him an affordable option for a team in need of a starting netminder.

  • Seattle Kraken general manager Ron Francis offered some clarity today on the injury that kept star winger Andre Burakovsky out of the lineup down the stretch of the season. Per Francis, Burakovsky tore his groin on his first shift after the All-Star break and suffered multiple setbacks in his recovery, sidelining him for the remainder of the regular season and playoffs. The 28-year-old was having a spectacular first season in Seattle before the injury, scoring 39 points in 49 games in a top-six role.
  • After selecting him in 12th overall in last week’s WHL Prospects Draft, the Edmonton Oil Kings have officially brought 14-year-old Joe Iginla, son of Calgary Flames legend Jarome Iginla, into the organization on a scholarship and development agreement. Iginla posted monster numbers at the U15 level this season with his dad coaching, scoring 65 points in 27 games, and even got some looks in U16 and U17 play. Iginla is not NHL draft eligible until 2026 and is not expected to join the Oil Kings until the 2024-25 season.

Laurent Brossoit Not Expected Back For Western Conference Final

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Vegas Golden Knights head coach Bruce Cassidy indicated today that goaltender Laurent Brossoit is unlikely to be available for their upcoming Western Conference Final series against the Dallas Stars. Brossoit has not played or practiced since sustaining a lower-body injury in Game 3 of their Second Round win against the Edmonton Oilers.

Brossoit had performed spectacularly down the stretch for Vegas, posting a 7-0-3 record and .927 save percentage in 10 starts after an early-season injury slipped him down the depth chart and earned him an extended stay in the minors for the first time in years. He carried that over into the postseason, and while his .894 save percentage in eight playoff starts isn’t exactly flattering, he did provide some needed big saves and played a key role in guiding Vegas to the NHL’s final four.

The team’s backup to start the season, Adin Hill, came in and finished the job in Brossoit’s absence, currently leading all playoff netminders with a .934 save percentage. In Game 6, he allowed Edmonton’s first two shots on goal but saved the next 38 en route to a series-clinching win. Even if Brossoit had been available to them, the team would’ve likely kept Hill in the starter’s crease.

One option that could become available, though, is Logan Thompson, who led all Vegas netminders this year with 36 starts and 21 wins. Thompson has missed much of the last three months with a lower-body injury that was aggravated in March, but Cassidy’s comments today alluded to the possibility of Thompson becoming an option during this series. He didn’t explicitly state Thompson had returned to practice, however.

Thompson did perform well in his first season as an NHL starter and could’ve outlasted Edmonton Oilers counterpart Stuart Skinner for a Calder Trophy nomination had he not faced injury issues down the stretch. If his regular-season performance with the Golden Knights during this season and last is any indication, he’s a better backup option at this point in time than veteran Jonathan Quick, who Vegas has dressed on the bench in Brossoit’s absence.

Snapshots: Landeskog, Reinbacher, Agents

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Outside of the playoffs, one of the major questions in the hockey world is if we will ever see the return of Colorado Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog. On May 10th, Landeskog opted to receive a cartilage transplant on his right knee, which will likely sideline him for the entirety of the 2023-24 NHL season.

This will mark two straight years that Landeskog will fail to play a game in the NHL, and serious doubts are being raised about his ability to return to the ice following this surgery. Talking to doctors and experts about the surgery, Bennett Sousa of The Denver Post says the jury is still out on that specific question.

Dr. Rachel Frank, a team physician for the MLS Colorado Rapids team, said, “We’ve seen this done before in patients and athletes at all levels, including the high school, the collegiate and the professional athlete. But at the elite level, it’s a bit less predictable because, quite frankly, it’s not as common.” Although the surgery has been quite successful in the past, Frank was quick to point out that the surgery is typically given for quality-of-life scenarios, not returning to their original form in athletics.

The only other major athlete to receive the surgery in recent memory would be Chicago Bulls guard, Lonzo Ball. In March of 2023, Ball opted to receive the surgery and has yet to make his return to the court at this time, missing the entirety of the 2022-23 NBA season. Due to the lack of comparables in the world of sports, Landeskog’s future in hockey is still up in the air.

Other snapshots:

  • In their loss against Team Sweden at the 2023 IIHF World Championship, Team Austria received even more negative news during the game, as top draft prospect David Reinbacher would not return to the game (Tweet Link). Receiving a hip check from Washington Capitals’ defenseman Rasmus Sandin, Reinbacher left the game with a lower-body injury. Clocking in at 20th overall on the draft board by TSN’s Bob McKenzie, Reinbacher scored three goals and 19 assists playing for EHC Kloten of the National League this season.
  • Although not pressing news, an interesting factoid was provided by PuckPedia today, as they announced that two agents have now crossed over the $1B mark in active contracts, as both Craig Oster of Newport Sports and Pat Brisson of CAA Hockey have crossed the threshold. Oster represents NHL talent such as Erik Karlsson, Mark Stone, and Matthew Tkachuk, while Brisson represents players such as Nathan MacKinnon, Sidney Crosby, and John Tavares.

Maple Leafs/Panthers Notes: Samsonov, Knies, Lomberg

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Another day of morning skates for the Toronto Maple Leafs brings more updates on their duo of injured players, who are both ruled out for Game 5 against the Florida Panthers tonight but making progress in their recoveries. This morning, The Hockey News’ Mike Stephens relayed that netminder Ilya Samsonov was skating on his own this morning, practicing in isolation with Toronto’s skills coaches.

This is Samsonov’s first practice since sustaining an upper-body injury two games ago when Toronto defenseman Luke Schenn collided with him whilst defending a rush. While signs are pointing to Samsonov not being out much longer, Toronto’s season can end at any point, down 3-1 in their series. In the meantime, the starter’s net is filled by rookie Joseph Woll, who stopped 24 of 25 shots in a must-win Game 4 road win on Wednesday.

  • Rookie forward Matthew Knies is also practicing for the first time today since his concussion in Game 2 of the Florida series, says The Athletic’s Jonas Siegel. Knies was injured on a play behind the net, forced to the ice by Panthers forward Sam Bennett. While he won’t play tonight, Knies’ status is day-to-day and he hasn’t been ruled out for a potential Game 6 on Sunday.
  • The Hockey News’ David Dwork believes forward Ryan Lomberg is doubtful to return to the lineup in the Eastern Conference Final against the Carolina Hurricanes, should they advance. Lomberg has not played since Game 4 of the First Round against the Boston Bruins and is day-to-day with an upper-body injury. The physical winger had already racked up 18 penalty minutes through four games, 14 of which game in Game 2.

Injury Notes: Samsonov, Knies, Raanta

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The Toronto Maple Leafs are still in Stanley Cup contention after staving off elimination, winning last night’s Game 4 against the Florida Panthers 2-1. The victory came in large part due to the strong play of rookie netminder Joseph Woll, who stopped 24 of 25 shots and saved 2.02 goals above expected (MoneyPuck).

They’ll have to turn to Woll again for Game 5, as head coach Sheldon Keefe told reporters this morning that starter Ilya Samsonov remains unavailable with an upper-body injury. Samsonov left early in the second period of Game 3 after Maple Leafs defender Luke Schenn barrelled into him while defending a Panthers rush. Toronto’s starter for much of the season, Samsonov had been largely passable in the postseason, making key saves despite a .898 save percentage on the whole during the postseason. While Woll has just 14 combined regular-season and playoff games in his NHL career, he has a combined 10-3-0 record and has posted save percentages well over .900.

Other injury notes from the playoff landscape this morning:

  • Keefe also revealed to reporters forward Matthew Knies’ concussion symptoms are improving after missing Games 3 and 4, but he’s not yet ready to return to the lineup. Knies was knocked out of Game 2 in the first period, sustaining the concussion on a hit from Panthers center Sam Bennett. The rookie forward had cemented himself in a top-six role by the time of his injury, recording four points in his first seven playoff games.
  • Carolina Hurricanes netminder Antti Raanta said he’s recovered from an illness that kept him out for the past three games, meaning he’ll back up Frederik Andersen tonight for a potentially series-clinching Game 5. Raanta started the first five games of Carolina’s First Round series against the New York Islanders but has since been superseded by Andersen, who’s posted a 4-0-0 record and .930 save percentage in five starts.

Gabriel Landeskog Unlikely To Play Next Season

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The Colorado Avalanche announced today that captain Gabriel Landeskog will undergo a cartilage transplant in his right knee, likely causing him to miss the entire 2023-24 season.

This is a devastating blow for the Avalanche, who hoped to have their leader back on the ice for the upcoming season. Landeskog missed the entirety of the 2022-23 campaign due to a previous knee injury dating back to the season prior when Landeskog and his Avalanche lifted the Stanley Cup.

Colorado felt Landeskog’s absence deeply this season. Combined with other rashes of injuries, Colorado was plagued with inconsistency but seemed to get hot at the right time going into the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Without Landeskog (and eventually Valeri Nichushkin) in the fold, though, the Avalanche’s depth couldn’t keep up, and they were eliminated by the Seattle Kraken in a seven-game First Round series.

The decision to undergo a cartilage transplant is a serious one, and it’s clear that Landeskog and the Avalanche are taking a cautious approach to his recovery. The procedure is a substitute for a joint replacement, involving a lab process where biopsied cartilage is allowed to grow and multiply before being inserted into the knee.

Despite the on-ice setback for Colorado, the team now knows Landeskog’s $7MM cap hit can remain on long-term injured reserve next season, giving them ample breathing room to make needed additions to their forward corps.

Off the ice, the focus now shifts to Landeskog’s long-term health in a personal sense, not just on the ice. Chronic knee pain is evidently becoming a serious issue in Landeskog’s life, and the team is inarguably making the right choice by supporting procedures such as this that prioritize Landeskog’s long-term comfort.

At this point in his career, Landeskog has skated in 738 regular-season and 69 playoff games, all with Colorado. He recorded 22 points in 20 games and a league-leading +15 rating en route to 2022’s Stanley Cup win and has amassed 248 goals and 571 points in his regular-season career.

Mattias Janmark Out Indefinitely

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It has been a tough postseason so far, to say the least for Oilers winger Mattias Janmark.  He played in their playoff opener against Los Angeles but suffered a lower-body injury after blocking a shot in the opening period.  He returned to kick off their second-round series against Vegas but after hitting his head off the boards in that game, Postmedia’s Robert Tychkowski relays that Janmark hasn’t skated since then and there is no timetable for his return.

Janmark signed with Edmonton this summer as an unrestricted free agent but didn’t make the team out of training camp, instead clearing waivers in early October.  However, he was recalled after playing just four games with AHL Bakersfield and was with the Oilers to stay the rest of the way.

The 30-year-old wound up getting into 66 games with Edmonton during the regular season, notching 10 goals and 15 assists, continuing his consistent level of production.  Over the last three seasons, Janmark’s lowest point total was 24 with his highest being 25, a mark he has now exactly hit three times in his seven-season career.  Depth scoring has been a question mark for Edmonton in the playoffs but one of their better depth scorers in Janmark will be out for a little while once again.

Matthew Knies Likely Out For Second Round

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Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe told reporters today that forward Matthew Knies sustained a concussion in Game 2 of the team’s Second Round series against the Florida Panthers and is unlikely to return for the remainder of the series.

Keefe has already ruled Knies out for Games 3 and 4 as Toronto tries to battle back from a 2-0 series deficit. Knies was injured on contact with Panthers forward Sam Bennett in the first period of last night’s game, skating one shift before leaving the game for good. Bennett was assessed a fine today for a separate incident in the game involving Toronto winger Michael Bunting.

Knies, who just played his 10th NHL game combined between the regular season and playoffs, had registered four points through six previous games for Toronto in the postseason. He’d moved further and further up the lineup with strong play, earning ice time alongside Auston Matthews. Needless to say, it’s a significant loss for Toronto.

The injury opens up opportunity for Calle Jarnkrok to slot back into a top-line role alongside Matthews. Jarnkrok looked more than comfortable in that role down the stretch of the regular season and for a few games against the Tampa Bay Lightning in the first round, helping Toronto gain some of their most dominant shifts of the series.

Snapshots: Gavrikov, Rossi, Teravainen

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Earlier this afternoon, Helene Elliott of the Los Angeles Times took some quotes from Los Angeles Kings defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov, telling the reporter that his family loved living in Los Angeles for the last couple of months, but also said “We’ll see what happens” on whether or not he will extend his tenure with the Kings. Gavrikov is slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1st.

Gavrikov had previously spent three seasons playing for the Columbus Blue Jackets, but with the Blue Jackets not meeting expectations this season, Gavrikov was subsequently dealt to the Kings with teammate Joonas Korpisalo. In 52 games in Columbus this season, Gavrikov scored three goals and seven assists, and would almost match that same output in only 20 games in Los Angeles. Gavrikov is one of the better defensive defensemen in the game, as he has blocked over 100 shots in each of his previous last two seasons.

In their opening-round series against the Edmonton Oilers, Gavrikov continued his strong play on the Kings’ back end, playing in all six games, accruing 16 hits, and earning a rating of +5. In the upcoming free agency period in July, Gavrikov joins a list of notable defensemen that play best on the defensive side of the puck, such as Ryan Graves, Scott Mayfield, Connor Clifton, and Dmitry Orlov.

Other snapshots:

  • Michael Russo of The Athletic reports that Minnesota Wild prospect, Marco Rossi, will suit up for Team Austria in the 2023 IIHF World Championships. Although playing in limited NHL action over the last two seasons, Rossi has been one of the better performers in the AHL, playing for the Iowa Wild. In his rookie season, Rossi scored 18 goals and 35 assists in 63 games played, and followed that up with almost a point-per-game performance this year, scoring 51 points in 53 games. In the opening round of the Calder Cup Playoffs, although his team was eliminated in two games by the Rockford IceHogs, Rossi managed a goal and an assist.
  • In some positive news regarding an injury for the Carolina Hurricanes, Tom Gulitti of the NHL reports that forward Teuvo Teravainen participated in an off-ice workout today. Teravainen is currently healing from a broken hand, and although this is a major step in the right direction for his return, it is still unknown whether or not he will be back for the playoffs. In somewhat of a down year compared to his previous standards, Teravainen only managed 37 points in 65 games this year, but would undoubtedly be a welcome return to a surging Carolina team.

East Injury Notes: Meier, Kane, Drury

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The New Jersey Devils are entering Game 1 on the road tonight against the Carolina Hurricanes with the status of their main trade deadline acquisition uncertain. Winger Timo Meier is a game-time decision after taking a hard hit from New York Rangers captain Jacob Trouba in the team’s Game 7 win on Monday, per head coach Lindy Ruff.

Meier hasn’t exactly lived up to expectations yet, especially with no points in the team’s series victory over New York. He did have nine goals in 21 games for New Jersey down the stretch, however, and has shown to be a valuable offensive weapon in playoffs past with San Jose. If he’s unable to play, one of Curtis Lazar or Jesper Boqvist will draw into the New Jersey lineup.

Elsewhere in the Eastern Conference:

  • Now-pending UFA winger Patrick Kane told reporters at the Rangers’ end-of-season availability today that he was never 100 percent healthy after the trade to New York, but praised the team’s training staff for trying to get him there. Kane did not rule out off-season surgery for the lower-body injury that plagued him the entire 2022-23 season. Kane recorded one goal in seven playoff games for the Rangers and posted a career-low 57 points in the regular season (in a full season).
  • Carolina Hurricanes winger Jack Drury is expected to return from an upper-body injury tonight when they host New Jersey to start their second-round series. Drury, 23, has slotted into Carolina’s top six with injuries to multiple key wingers. He’ll look to register his first point of the playoffs tonight, expected to flank Jordan Staal and Martin Necas on the team’s second line.

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